Combination warm air cleaner and heat deflector



Jan. 5, 1932. THORSON T AL 1,839,357-

COMBINATION WARM AIR CLEANER AND HEAT DEFLECTOR Filed Sept. 19. 1927 Fig. 4 zwzaaw/ have/#0125 Patented Jan. 5, 1932 STATES PATENT 5 Fries LABS M. TI-IORSON A D KENNETH :B. ,wAnn, or oinrcAe o, ILLINOIS coMBINArIoN WARM Arn oLEA Ea AND HEAT 'DEFLECTOR Application fired September 19, 1927. Serial No. 220,577.

Our invention relates to a combination warm air cleaner and heat deflector, designed especially for use in connection with radia tors and the like but capable of utilization in connection with any device to which such a structure may be advantageously applied, and the invention has for its object the provision of an improved construction of the kind in which a moisture carrying device is arranged across a warm air passageway.

' Salient objects of our invention are: to provide means for cleaning the warm. air; to provide means for increasing the humid- 'ity of the warm air; to provide means fori nproving the prophylactic quality of the air; and to provide an arrangement bymeans of which the air carrying convected heat is deflected in approximately horizontal directions. 7

It is within the province of our present invention to provide a combination warm air cleaner and heat deflector of a simple, eflicient and durable construction, which will be highly convenient in use, and one in which the partsare so constructed and arranged that there will be no overflow or leakage of Water from the device.

These and other objects are attained by the means herein described and illustrated" 3 in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of our device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central cross-sectional view of the device shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of the device; and V Fig. dis a topplan view of the upper reservoir shown in Fig. 3. v

Although, for thepurpose of illustrating I a practical application of our device, we have shown in Fig. 2 a selected embodiment thereof in association with a radiator, it is to be understood that in practice ourdevice is not confined to such particular association,'but may be employed in cooperation with any suitable means capable of supplying; warm air.

In the embodiment of our invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as a preferred example, 11 designates in general abox-like body or duct structure which is provided with an inlet opening 12 at the bottom and with a series of outlet openings 13 in its front face or panel. This form of the device is designed. to be mounted upon a radiator as 14:, its bottom being adapted to rest thereon as shown, so that the warm air rising from the radiator will enter the body through the bottom' opening 12.' The stream of warm airrising upwardly within the body llis ultimately deflected out through the series of front open-- ings 13 in approximately horizontal directions, the arrows associated with Fig. 2 indicating the path of the air passing through the device.

Within the body 11 are arranged two reservoirs in the form of water holding pansl5' and 16 which may be referred to, respectively,fas an upper pan and a lower pan; and from an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be noted in this connection thatialthough situated at different levels or in diflerent horizontal planes these pans are so related that the path for the rising stream of warm air leads therebetween and that water 17 falling from the overflow lip or half-round outwardly and downwardly projecting-edge 18 of the upthe wioking before it can escape through the front openings 13. Instrumentalities as books 20, shown in connection with theupper pan '15, or weights 21, shown in connection with the lower pan 16, may be employed After being raised to the crest of the wicking i instead of a single sheet.

upon the edge 18 by capillary action, the moisture is influenced by force of gravity to move toward the lower pan. By providing at the upper pan a short reach where water is raised by capilliary action, and by providing a long reach where the water is influenced by gravity, the distributive capacity of the wicking for uniformly and adequately humidifying the warm air is greatly increased. The top or cover 23 is removable to facilitate filling the pans with water" and to permit the removal of the wicking for laundering when required; and the pans are preferably removable in order that they.

may be readily cleaned. Brackets 22 provide supporting means for the upper pan- 1-5.

Referriiw to Fig. 3, where we show a modified' form o-f our'device, 1.1a designates in general' the boX-likebody or duct: structure which is made with a bottom inlet opening 12a and front outlet-openings 13a. In this embodiment, as in the other, there are two water pans located at different levels, but the upper pan is of U-shaped formation, the same having. two sections orarms 15a and 155 spaced apart and connected atone end'as shown in plan in Fig. 4. The-lower water pan 16a, located directly'belowthe open space between the sections 15a and 15b, spans the bottom of the opening 120 and divides the lower interior of the body into two air passages.

In this form: of construction, a wicking half-round edge 18a, while the other of the reaches before entering therein, is taken. over the half-round edge 18b, is secured by aretaining rod 25?) within the section 15?), and finally is extended across both of the edges 18 and 18a to intersectthe space or air passage therebetween. The extremities of the wicking' may be held in place within section 15a by hooks 20a or any suitable means. If desired, the wicking may for conveniencein handling consist of two or more sheets t will be evident that by means of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3', the rising warm air' is required to pass through two stretches or reaches of the wicking, thereby greatly increasing the chiciencyof the device. Any water draining fromthewicking, dripping therefrom, or overflowing the edges 18a and 18?) will fall into the waterpan 16a, which may have a capacity in excess of that of the combined sections 15a and 15?). If the water pan 16a be made with ample space to take care of substantially all the water in the upper sections, there can be no overflow or leakage from the device when the atmosphere is highly humid, or when the heat fails in the radiator or is shut .ofi, while the upper reservoir or waterpan 15a is filled to overflowing.

The device is preferably constructed of sheet metal except as herein otherwise specified, but may bemade of any other materials possessing the requisite structural and physical. properties. The device is preferably made or ornate design to harmonize with various: kinds and types of furniture.

The device-is prepared for use as follows: The upper panis filled with water, while into the'lowerpan is introduced merely enough water to immerse a portion: of the wicking therein. When. filling the upper pan, great care need not be exercised because after the pan has been filled, any excess water will pass.

the device has been in operation for sometime, more or less of the water in the upper Jan will have been evaporated or consumed consequently lowering the water level. It is thus clear that the water level in the upper pan: is sometimes above but usually below the elevation of the lower edge of the drip lip or overflow lip 18, or 18a. In case the humidity is high no water need be put into the lower pan; and the amount of evaporation from theupper pan canbe decreased by only partly filling it with water when a lower humidity is desirable.

The device operates as follows: lVarrn air from any source enters the body through the bottom inlet opening, rises upwardly therein, passes through the intersecting wicking, and. is discharged through the outlet openings inapproximately horizontal directions. The overflow lip holds the sheet of wicking away from the adjacent side of the upper pan. This arrangement of the wicking with reference to the upper pan automatically increases theeffective area of the wicking, which condition contributes substantially to the efficiency of the device. As previously intimated, the short or low lift at the upper pan greatly facilitates the moistening of the wick; in-g since after the water is raised. over the lialf-round edge, it will be influenced by gravity to move towards the lower panwith the result that the wicking is kept amply and uniformly moistened. By passing through een filled,

the moistened sheet of wicking, the warm air is automatically Cleaned and humidified. The sheet of wicking can easily be replaced whenever it requires cleaning.

V'Vhile we have shown and described certain selected forms of our invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and in the arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the append-ed claims, in which it is our intention to claim all novelty inherent in our invention as broadly as possible in View of the prior state of the art. 7 i

What we regard as new, claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the kind described comprising a body having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and enclosing an air passageway extendingbetween said openings; a water reservoir having two sections each of which is disposed on opposite sides of said passageway and each provided with an overflow lip; a drip pan-located under said lips; and a moisture carrying fabric extending from the interior of one of said sections across said air passageway and into the interior of the other of said sections.

2. In combination, a casing having an inlet and an outlet and enclosing an air pas sageway extending between said openings; a water supply reservoir having two sections each of which is disposed on opposite sides of said passageway wicking extending from the interior of one of said sections across said passageway below the water level of said reservoir and into the interior of the other of said sections; and a drip pan located below the wicking in said passageway.

3. In combination, a casing enclosing an air passageway extendingbetween an inlet opening and an outlet arranged to discharge air in approximately horizontal directions; a water supply reservoir having two sections each of which is disposed on opposite sides of said passageway; moisture carrying fabric extending from the interior of one of said sections across said air passageway above the level of water in said reservoir and into the interior of the other of said sections.

4. In combination, a casing having an inlet opening through the bottom arranged to cover a radiator and an outlet opening arranged to discharge air in approximately horizontal directions; an air passageway enclosed by said casing and extending between said openings; a water supply reservoir in said passageway; and a sheet of porous moisture carrying fabric extending from the interior or" saidreservoir across said air passageway.

LARS M; THORSON. KENNETH B. WARD. 

